Mercer Hassy plays keyboards, guitar, percussion and does some programming as he leads a big band through his updated arrangements of the Duke Ellington songbook. He bookends the tribute with a pair of “Train” tunes, as the band chugs through the tracks on “Daybreak Express” and a swaggering “Happy Go Lucky Local”. From there you have the band getting into a funky R&B mood on “Satin Doll”, and vocalist Hiroshi Ueno bouncing around Hiroto Shirai’s bass on “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”. Tomoya Akagawa’s soprao sax is gloriously hectic on “Hot and Bothered” and Ray Iwasa’s tenor is big and round for “In a Sentimental Mood” a good mix of respect and refurbishing for the Duke.